Khan graduated Brighton University, in music and visual arts, where her experimental multi-media / installation / animation / performance art's influences spanned tape loop / effects pioneer Steve Reich and installation / performance artist Susan Hiller. Afterwards, when working as a nursery school teacher, she began writing for her début. "Whenever I'm writing music it's a very visual place in my mind," she said, "It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister." Bat for Lashes music has been likened to that of Björk (who herself attended Khan's early gigs), Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.
"The Wizard" was primarily released on 7-inch from Khan's own She Bear label and subsequently Fur and Gold on Echo. In 2007, she was honoured with a ASCAP Vanguard Award and selected to open the prestigious ASCAP Presents… 2007, 14 Mar in Austin, TX, USA (an industry showcase, within SXSW 2007). Later, via a small Manimal Vinyl Fur and Gold pressing (May 2007), Bat for Lashes transferred to Parlophone. She appeared at Glastonbury 2007 (23 June).
In July 2007, Fur and Gold, Joe's Pub, NYC, on 1 May 2007 recordings and a Plaid remix, yielded EP What's A Girl To Do? (7 Jul 2007, EMI). Then on the 17th, the album's 2007 Mercury Prize nomination was announced - despite being a UK media favourite to win, it lost to Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future. 25 Jul 2007, at Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY was the fist gig of a three month North American tour, interrupted only by European festival appearances.
In 2008, Bat for Lashes was nominated for Brit Awards ('Best British Breakthrough Act' and 'Best British Female'), her distinctive What's a Girl to Do? video brought her to prominence and, starting with Malahide Castle, Dublin, IE, on 6 Jun 2008, she toured with Radiohead for a month, opening more than a dozen European shows. Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to the Cure (Oct 2008, Manimal Vinyl), included her cover of A Forest.
The lead single for her second album was "Daniel" and released in March. On 23 February, Khan revealed in an interview on radio station XFM that the cover for the single had been shot on Brighton beach, near her home. She also designed a limited edition cover for Fact Magazine which coincided with an interview she did for them. Bat for Lashes released her second album Two Suns in April 2009, which received comparisons to the work of Stevie Nicks, Dolores O'Riordan and Fleetwood Mac.
Bat for Lashes live backing during the Two Suns tours, as March 2009, included among others: Ben Christophers, Charlotte Hatherley and Sarah Jones (drums - of New Young Pony Club). She appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. She performed an acoustic version of the single, "Daniel," and also covered "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. Her first appearance on US broadcast television was 1 May 2009 on The Late Show with David Letterman, performing the song "Daniel". On May 15, 2009 she appeared on NPR (World Cafe) where she performed "Daniel", "Moon and Moon (piano only) and Prescilla".
On June 13, 2012 Bat for Lashes announced the title of her upcoming third studio album "The Haunted Man" to be released in October. The album was produced, as with Fur And Gold and Two Suns, by Faultline. While not performing as well in Europe as Two Suns, The Haunted Man was her highest charting album in the US to date, at #64. Singles "Laura", "All Your Gold", "A Wall", and "Lilies" followed.
Widow's Peak
Bat for Lashes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through young girls' dreams
Don't wake me up too soon
There's a halo on the moon
You hunger, I'll thirst
Pink stars do burst
God of lightning, goddess of fern
A map to memorize, a lullaby to learn
Where red clouds blew and fill the air
Where my purple hear beats to your jet black snout
Up on poiny point if your dare
You're my blood, you're my wine
You're my mountain to climb
Say you're mine, you're mine, you're mine
Bride in the fog, and no way out
Can't see my own hands, can't hear a sound
Where angels conspire and heroes do drown
I am lost in the mire upside down
Is that my soul on fire whirling by?
Take a walk, man of god I just want to die
I tell you my friend
The widow is on my trail
You'll hear her, you will know her
The chill on the skin, the song on the wind
To wonder, to roam, to never know how
To lie under a sky of blood reds and pale blue
To trail ten thousand miles in a dead man's shoes
There's a demon loose, a demon loose
I can't get home, I can't get home
For the road is a snake of mist
And the shadow of a rebel's fist
His jacket on my back, his bones on the shore
But the secret of dreams is to dream up a door
A portrait of him, a picture of her
A keyhole in a Douglas fir
Now
Now
Ah
The lyrics of Bat for Lashes's Widow's Peak depict a journey into a mystical, dreamlike world, with a hint of danger and darkness. The song invites the listener to join the singer on this journey, venturing into a place where young girls' dreams invite curiosity and exploration. The lyrics are surreal, evoking images of a halo on the moon and pink stars bursting, tapping into the coded language of folk tales and fables. The imagery draws heavily from nature and mythology, as the lyrics refer to the god of lightning and goddess of fern, whilst alluding to magical maps to memorize, and lullabies to learn.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more menacing, describing a "bride in the fog, and no way out," as the singer becomes lost in the mire. Yet, the song remains enigmatic in its storytelling, with references to a "demon loose," and "the widow on my trail." The lyrics seem to hint at something threatening, but it remains uncertain what exactly these dangers are or where they come from.
The song creates a deep sense of yearning and longing, as the singer asks her lover to take her to the red clouds, where she can be with him, declaring that he is her blood, her wine, and her mountain to climb. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the singer unable to return home and wandering aimlessly, dreaming up a door. Overall, Widow's Peak is a richly poetic and atmospheric song that invites the listener on a surreal journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Come under with me
Join me in an experience
Through young girls' dreams
An adventure through imagination
Don't wake me up too soon
Stay in this moment, don't let it end
There's a halo on the moon
A beautiful glow around the night sky
You hunger, I'll thirst
You complete me
Pink stars do burst
A dazzling display of color and light
God of lightning, goddess of fern
Celestial beings that command natural elements
A map to memorize, a lullaby to learn
A journey planned, a peaceful song to hum
Come on darling, take me there
Let's go to that special place together
Where red clouds blew and fill the air
A crimson sky, a feast for the senses
Where my purple hear beats to your jet black snout
Our hearts are in sync, despite our differences
Up on poiny point if your dare
A challenge to face our fears
You're my blood, you're my wine
You are everything to me
You're my mountain to climb
You inspire me to reach greater heights
Say you're mine, you're mine, you're mine
Claiming ownership of our love
Bride in the fog, and no way out
Feeling trapped and lost
Can't see my own hands, can't hear a sound
Sensory deprivation in a state of confusion
Where angels conspire and heroes do drown
A place where even the strongest can't survive
I am lost in the mire upside down
Completely disoriented and helpless
Is that my soul on fire whirling by?
A feeling of inner turmoil and desperation
Take a walk, man of god I just want to die
Even spiritual guidance can't solve my problems
I tell you my friend
Opening up to someone I trust
The widow is on my trail
Feeling haunted by a relentless presence
You'll hear her, you will know her
Her presence is unmistakable
The chill on the skin, the song on the wind
A haunting sensation that lingers in the air
To wonder, to roam, to never know how
A life of uncertainty and searching
To lie under a sky of blood reds and pale blue
A scene of beauty and danger
To trail ten thousand miles in a dead man's shoes
Enduring a perilous journey
There's a demon loose, a demon loose
An evil presence that can't be contained
I can't get home, I can't get home
Feeling trapped and unable to escape
For the road is a snake of mist
The path ahead is unclear and treacherous
And the shadow of a rebel's fist
Feeling threatened by defiance and rebellion
His jacket on my back, his bones on the shore
Bearing the weight of someone else's past
But the secret of dreams is to dream up a door
Finding escape and hope through imagination
A portrait of him, a picture of her
Symbols of love and loss
A keyhole in a Douglas fir
A mystery waiting to be unlocked
Now
In this moment
Now
Urgency and significance
Ah
A sudden realization or realization of something important
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NATASHA KHAN, SIMON FELICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind